Take My Hand
by l0stinl0ve
Summary: Hermione has to make a choice between what is safe and what is unknown. My reasons for why Hermione would pick Draco over Ron.


This was written for round one of _The Seven Challenges Competition_ and I'm also submitting it to _OTP Boot Camp Challenge_ for 'Silence is Golden'  
Thank you to winterwood11 for her lovely beta service and helping me figure out tenses.  
**Disclaimer: **If I owned anything, this would all be true and I'd have lots of money, but neither are true, so clearly I own nothing.

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She stares at his hand. It's reaching for her, and his face is clearly asking her "Please."

Hermione isn't sure if she should take it. They had only just completed the Graduation Ceremony and here he was asking her to declare her choice. Taking it would mean so many things. Taking it would _change_ so many things. Does she dare?

She looks into his steel-grey eyes and can't help but smile. There was a time when those eyes showed only malice, but she knows better now. The evil looks were only a front, a facade, hiding the true Draco Malfoy.

Is that enough?

She isn't sure.

She put a pause to the eventual relationship between her and Ron when she returned to Hogwarts, and originally, she had every intention of starting that back up again when she graduated.

That was then.

This is now.

Hermione did tell him that she would decide if she wanted to continue their relationship when school finished. She told him how she wasn't sure if she would go back to Ron, or let the relationship between Draco and her progress and see where it took them. She never really just went with the flow, she liked to plan every little detail.

Draco did tell her he loved her just before she gave the graduation speech. Did that love mean a future? Did she love him back? She looks from his hand back to his face, he gives her a small smile, the smile meant only for her. Yes. Yes, she does love him back.

Could this work?

She can hear her name being called in the background; so can Draco. His hand shakes with insistency. His face once indifferent mask starts to fall, and Hermione knows what he's thinking.

He thinks she won't choose him.

She gives him a watery smile.

There are just so many reasons she shouldn't take that hand.

There's their history. Who would give up a safe future for something as tumultuous as what they have? Even the tentative relationship they developed over the past year was rocky. There were days where she was reminded of the vile cockroach he could be and she just wanted to smack him. But there were those other days where she just wanted to pull him in for a good snog. Or they would sit in the library, her curled up under his arm, the two of them reading. He would tease her bookworm tendencies, without the bitterness in his voice. Would there be more moments of bliss?

There were his parents. While Narcissa had grown affectionate with Hermione, she didn't even know how Lucius would react to his son dating a Muggleborn, let alone marrying her sometime in the future. And would Narcissa still like her if she was to become more than the friend Draco had introduced her as when he brought her home for the holidays? What would she say now if he introduced her as his girlfriend? Would she be happy for his son?

There was her family, as well. Would they understand that she had fallen in love with the boy she used to write home about causing her to cry? Her father would be furious. There was many a day during her summers at home where he wanted to pull her out of school due to the bullying she received from this same boy currently asking to take her hand. Would her mum see that she loved him regardless of that? Would she see the subtle glances they exchanged? The looks meant only for one's significant other? Would they approve once they saw how he made their daughter feel?

There were her friends too. Draco and they were _enemies_ for years. Could they see how happy Draco made her? Or would the past animosity prevent them from moving forward? Would they stop being her friend? Would the Weasley family think she no longer existed? Would Harry ever speak to her again? Would the whole of Gryffindor house consider her a traitor? Would they ignore the smiles that only Draco could ever bring to her face? The laughs he incited with few words? The blush that would rise on her cheeks from the smallest gesture from him? Would all of that mean nothing? Would they get over it in light of her happiness?

Then… here was Ron. Ron would turn redder than his hair. It was highly likely that he was calling her now to take her back; Start where they left off. But was where they left off anywhere close to how she currently felt for Draco? Ron wouldn't understand. He'd most definitely call her a traitor. He'd see her choosing his enemy over him, and it would take a long time for her to repair their friendship, if they even could. Would he wish her to live only a content life with him when she knew what could have been? Or would he let her go?

Could she do it? Could she risk it all? For Draco?

If she chose not to take Draco's hand, her life would be simple. She was cherished and safe. While her history with Ron wasn't always pleasant, it was never as vicious as her history with Draco. Ron's parents loved her. The Weasley family already considered her a part of their large brood. While her parents didn't necessarily adore Ron, he wouldn't have to work his way into their good graces. Her friends all expected her to choose Ron. And he did as well.

But what about Draco?

He was smart and witty. He understood her dorky references. He didn't pull her from the library when she needed to research. Quidditch and food weren't the only things to ever come out of his mouth. And his kisses - _those kisses_…

He was passionate about Potions and understood her love for Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. He didn't complain when they went out to Hogsmeade where people would stop her to give their thanks for what she did during the war. He would shield her from the limelight and sneak her out of the Three Broomsticks when it all became overwhelming.

He was tragic. He was exciting. He was complicated. There was just so much to him, and she could spend the rest of her life just trying to figure him out.

Ron was predictable. She would go to university while he continued Auror training. They would get married afterwards and she'd join the Ministry becoming a drone of some sort. They'd have two children. He would leave the Auror Department and join George in his shop. She'd have a house with a white picket fence. They'd have a cat, and maybe a dog if the kids managed to convince her.

A life with Ron would be simple and the most exciting aspect would be... She wasn't even sure.

She may not believe in Divination, but she knows that if she does not take Draco's hand, her future would be pretty much set.

But when she looked at Draco. _Her_ Draco. She sees his hand slowly dropping in defeat; The small smile disappearing, eyes misting. She couldn't predict the future she'd have with him. Would he follow her to University? Would they get married now? Or ten years later? Would they have one child, a boy to be an heir to the Malfoy name? Or would they have a household full of laughter and the pitter-patter of young ones running around? What would she do with herself? What would he do with himself? Would they travel? Would they stay in England? What would they do as their careers?

When she thinks about it, there isn't really a choice.

She takes his hand before it falls to his side completely and gives him a beaming smile. She ignores the calls coming from her friends somewhere in the distance and lets Draco lead her to his mother, who was surprisingly speaking with Hermione's parents.

Her grin widens. She knows she has made the right choice. It may take time for everyone to get used to the idea of her being with Draco, but if they truly know and understand who she is, they wouldn't let it change how they feel about her.

She wouldn't be Hermione Granger if she picked predictable and safe. Otherwise the last few years would have been completely different. She wouldn't have followed her best friend through the thick and thin of things. She would have declined that letter from the weird owl all those years ago.

Why would she change that now?


End file.
